


Lyra and Hope Visit the Past

by Carola_dl



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Cassian and Jyn's daughters, Crack fic but not really, F/M, Humor, Time Travel without explanation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-09-26 01:00:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9855008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carola_dl/pseuds/Carola_dl
Summary: “Who are they?” Jyn asked, once again.General Draven lifted a corner of his mouth, showing an almost sardonic smile. “They say they’re your daughters.” The General nodded at Jyn and Cassian's bewildered expressions and, unnecessarily, he added. “The daughters of Cassian and Jyn Andor.”(or, the fanfic where Cassian and Jyn's daughters time travel to a time when their parents are still in denial.)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
> First time writing for the RebelCaptain fandom and it's a comedy! Which is quite a surprise for me because I'm more of a drama writer but this idea got into my head and I thought it was hilarious. I really hope I was able to make it as funny as it sounded in my head. I guess you could say this is close to a crack fanfic, but I don't think it's as exotic as that, really. I tried to be faithful to the characters and I think I did - but it's a difficult task when they're facing such unusual situations!
> 
> English is not my first language but I think and hope this is readable. I want to say thank you to wcmanwcnder from Tumblr who helped me to put some order in this chaotic story! Thank you so much!
> 
> Enjoy the read!

**LYRA AND HOPE VISIT THE PAST**

 

Cassian was born in Fest – a planet where the force was a helpful friend at times and a spoiled child at others – so he was rarely surprised when inexplicable events touched the lives of ordinary people. He grew up to become a reasonable man – maybe, in an unconscious effort to reject the planet that had taken so much from him. Now a seasoned adult, he trusted the tangible rules more than the supposedly powerful and invisible energy that played with them like an omnipresent God would do.

His wife Jyn had other ideas – which wasn’t something uncommon in their marriage, although for some odd reason, they still clicked like puzzle pieces. She had been a woman of faith since the moment her mother told her to _trust the force_ before walking to her death. In her young angry years, she had tried to reject the force that had betrayed her – but when the mystical energy guided her steps to her new family, Jyn realized that she had never stopped believing.

One trusted the force; the other distrusted it – but when people of different races and different planets started to vanish into thin air, they realized neither of them could really understand the whims of the force.

“The force is sometimes capricious.” Chirrut told them and for now, his words were enough explanation.

That answer stopped being enough when their two daughters, Lyra and Hope Andor, vanished into the cold air of a starless night, still wearing their nightgowns.

“They’re alive. I can still feel them – but they’re far away.” Chirrut said.

He was right: They were far away. Far away _in time._

+++

In a blink of an eye, Lyra and Hope found themselves in a narrow alley in some unknown city that smelled like sweat and rotten fruit. They blinked and a woman – a Cerean woman, to be more precise – pointed at them with her face contorted by a visceral fear.

“Witchcraft! The dark magic of the Siths! I’ve seen it before. Oh, I have.” The woman said, in a panicked voice.

Lyra, the oldest sister – who had inherited the calm demeanor of her father – took some steps forward and stared at their surroundings.

“Where are we?” She asked – to everyone and nobody in particular. She didn’t receive an answer so she looked at the homeless Cerean, who was hugging herself against a corner. “Where are we?” She repeated, impatient. Lyra was only 12 years old but she had the strong presence of her father: _The face of a friend, the pose of a spy._

“Rings of Kafrene.” The Cerean woman answered – as a petulant child who felt forced to talk in front of adults. Lyra merely nodded and her little sister grabbed her hand, in a silent sign of fear.

“Did it happen to us too? Did we vanish into thin air, like those poor people from the newspapers?” Hope asked, her tone uncertain.

Lyra nodded, once more. “I think so. How are we going to get home?”

Hope shrugged, with the tender innocence all eight years old have. “Asking for directions? Like everyone does.”

“Yes. Good idea.” Lyra said. She addressed the homeless woman. “Where can we find a trustful pilot that would take us out of this planet?”

The woman laughed against her hand, hiding her black teeth. “Nobody goes out of here without the stormtroopers' permission. Everyone knows that – so use your dark powers if you want to be out of here, misses.”

“There are no more stormtroopers!” Hope exclaimed.

“No more? Oh, go to the wider streets and look at them – No more, she says. You’re a funny girl.”

“The Empire fell in the year 4 ABY.” Lyra said.

“Wishful thinking - but once that year comes, you will see that the Galatic Empire still controls everything. The death of a star doesn’t finish a whole empire…”

“Once that day comes?”

“Yeh – but say no more, I don’t like to talk about the future.”

“What year is it now?” The woman wrinkled her nose in annoyance as if Lyra was asking her personal questions. When Lyra heard her answer, she opened her eyes wide and took some steps back.

“It’s a year _before_ my birthday – a year and some months, I think.” Lyra whispered to Hope. The little girl squeezed Lyra’s hand in apprehension. “We have traveled in time – did all the people that vanished come to the past?”

Hope didn’t have an answer to her sister’s questions so she shrugged.

“Are you saying something about me? Don’t think about insulting me, misses! Now, leave me alone – nobody invited you to _my_ alley.”

“We will leave as soon as you tell us where we can find a pilot who isn’t loyal to the empire.”

The Cerean woman looked away and, for a moment, the two sisters thought she was going to keep silent but then, her rough voice emerged from her turned profile.

“You can always find that kind of men in the taverns – now go, and if stormtroopers catch you, you don’t know me.”

Lyra rolled her eyes. She doubted the stormtroopers were interested in her. In any way, she didn’t want to be ungrateful, so she reached inside the pocket of her nightgown, hoping to find some credits – but it was empty.

“Thank you.” It was the only thing she could give her. Lyra turned to Hope. “Let’s go, Hope. We need to find our parents - We aren’t alive yet but _they are_.”

+++

Jyn blamed the heat.

She was starting to suspect that the four suns of the planet Solanda had an odd effect on the atmosphere of the endless desert. She couldn’t find another reason for her sudden… _need._

Although, she supposed it wasn’t so sudden. She had finally admitted to herself that she couldn’t live without Cassian Andor and that his presence was like a calming salve for her. She always tried to stand close to him, sometimes even brushing arms and fingers – an unconscious need to check that he was tangible and alive and _there._

This need, however, was more intense. The rebel base on Solanda was so small that it allowed little privacies. The suffocating heat made them want to get rid of their clothes but they tried to maintain a good level of decency. Especially Cassian, who – Jyn assumed – was ashamed of the scars on his back and his chest. Despite his insecurities, Jyn had seen him shirtless in several occasions – through a door he had inadvertently left ajar or the small window of his bedroom.

The sight was mesmerizing – and in every occasion, Jyn imagined herself caressing his blade plates, his deep scars and the ripples of his muscles. A bittersweet ache sent a shiver through her body.

The heat provoked odd symptoms – Jyn reasoned – while she lay down alone on her bed, feeling drained because of the heat but still wondering how would it feel to have his heat next to her skin – would he burn her?

The next morning, these thoughts still plagued her mind. For that reason, when Cassian told her that Draven was assigning them another urgent mission and they needed to leave the planet immediately, she felt relieved and disappointed at the same time.

Forty minutes later, they were in Kafrene. K-20 had been waiting for them in the ships dock with his arms crossed in a pose that suggested impatience.

“You’re late.” He said, with exasperation.

Cassian took the longest route to avoid the planets occupied by the Empire. It was a safety measure, something K-20 knew very well, but he was still angry because they had gone to the mission on Solanda without him – the mission was supposed to take six months but they had only been there for two months when Draven ordered them to go to Kafrene.

“Was your little vacation pleasant?” K-2SO asked with bitterness.

Cassian sighed. “You know it wasn’t a vacation and you would’ve melted there or suffered a short-circuit…”

“So what are we doing here? What’s so important?” Jyn asked, wanting to leave behind the thoughts of Solanda to focus on the new mission. “New inexplicably apparitions?”

“I don’t know. Follow me.” K-2SO started walking through the crowded streets of Kafrene. He seemed to know where he was going. “Two girls were found asking for you in a tavern.”

“Two girls? Who are they?” Cassian asked, as Jyn and he followed K-2 closely.

K-2 stopped in front of an old closed door. He had reached his destination. “General Draven wants to tell you himself. He’s waiting inside.” K-2 said, gesturing to the door with his head. "Maybe they're some of those annoying apparations from the future."

Jyn and Cassian exchanged stares. In the recent week, the empire had been obsessed with the capture of these visitants from the future – if they were really who they claimed to be, they possessed very valuable information about all the battles that haven’t been won or lost yet. The Empire offered a generous monetary recompense in exchange of these people who appeared magically.

Jyn nodded at Cassian and he knocked on the door. General Driven opened it and stepped aside, giving them room to enter. His face was unreadable and it didn’t prepare Jyn or Cassian for the surprise that awaited them inside:

Two brunette girls sat in front of a wood table. Cassian took the lead and before he could put both feet in the tiny room, the smallest girl run to him and hugged him. Jyn could see how Cassian immediately tensed as the girl sank her nose on his stomach. Cassian lifted both arms as if he was surrendering.

His confusion was as evident as comical and Jyn couldn’t hold an amused chuckle. General Draven, however, didn’t seem to find the situation so humorous.

“Do you know this girl, Captain Andor?” Draven asked with his natural seriousness. Cassian shook his head, effusively. “Does she look familiar to you?” Cassian didn’t even look at the girl, maybe hoping she would disappear into thin air – in the same way she had appeared.

“No, sir. I promise you I haven’t seen her in my life.”

Those words seemed to wake the oldest girl, who immediately stood up and pulled her sister away from Cassian. Jyn stepped into the room, standing next to Cassian. She looked at the girls with distrust.

“Who are they?” Jyn asked. She couldn’t take her eyes off of the littlest girl – there was something in her brown eyes that tugged at her heart strings as if it was waking a forgotten memory she couldn’t quite discern.

“They came into one of the busiest taverns of Kafrene asking for you two. Fortunately for us, one of our informants heard them and immediately called us.”

“Who are they?” Jyn asked, once again.

General Draven lifted a corner of his mouth, showing an almost sardonic smile. “They say they’re your daughters.” The General nodded at Jyn and Cassian's bewildered expressions and, unnecessarily, he added. “The daughters of Cassian and Jyn Andor.”

Her heart jumped painfully inside her heart. She didn’t dare to hope – No, Jyn already knew that she was going to leave this conversation with new wounds: Those that didn't leave scars.

“No, no.” She heard Cassian mutter, beside her. The same words had entered her mind but hearing him refusing the fact - wishing it wasn’t real – caused her a pain she wasn’t expecting.

“It’s true!” The little girl exclaimed. “I’m Hope Andor and I’m 8 years old.” She pointed to her sister. “And She’s Lyra Andor. She’s 12 years old – but I think we haven’t been born here yet.”

Lyra. That name. Lyra. Of course. Lyra. The Empire knew her mother’s name. It could be a trap.

“That name…”

“Yes.” Lyra said. The other Lyra - _the unauthentic Lyra_ \- Jyn thought. “You named me after grandma.”

Jyn turned her back to the girls. She didn’t want to look at them. She didn’t want to search for something familiar in their faces or their micro-expressions. She wanted to believe – but at the same time – she was afraid to do so.

Lyra’s voice continued behind Jyn’s back. “We come from a future where…”

“No. Not here. This isn’t a safe place to exchange secrets.” Draven said. Jyn turned slightly, to look at the General and at Cassian, to discover what they were really thinking. “You both will take them to the base.”

The base? That wasn’t a good idea. They could be spies from the Empire. Jyn walked to General Draven with fast and firm steps. He didn’t back down, as many men would have done.

“Do you really believe these absurd rumors? They don’t come from the future. They can’t.”

“The Empire thinks they do – and that’s enough for me.”

“What if all of them are spies the Empire sent to distract us? Their mission could be to feed us fake intel – to force us to waste resources and men and ships in a trap.”

“I have thought about it, Sergeant Erso. Don’t forget your place or your rank.” General Draven answered. “Now, lead the girls to the ship. K-2 will be waiting for you there – I ordered him to return to the ship as soon as he brought you here.”

Jyn shook her head. She hated Draven and his excessive secrecy but she had learned to pick her battles. She and Cassian walked away but before Cassian could exit the room, Draven stopped him:

“Captain Andor. A word in private, please.”

Jyn took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Draven only asked to talk privately with Cassian when he wanted to ask him to do the unthinkable. Cassian always returned from those missions with his eyes a little bit less bright, as if he was deader than the day before.

Jyn remained frozen on her spot, glaring at Draven. Cassian nodded at her, asking her without words to go. She hesitated for a split second – but finally, she decided to do as instructed.

The two girls, those who said to be her daughters, were waiting for her at the door. Jyn swallowed saliva – it was going to be a difficult day.

+++

_They’re my daughters._

No. Don’t think about it – Cassian ordered himself – It wasn’t a moment for distraction. He set those thoughts aside and waited, patiently, for Draven. The General was bidding his time to make sure Jyn was out of earshot. After several seconds, Draven took some steps forward and whispered:

“Interrogate them. Ask them about the future of the Rebellion. Do we win? Do we lose? Learn how it will happen.” Cassian nodded like an obedient soldier. “I know damn well they’re probably Imperial spies – but we can’t know for sure and if these newcomers are really from the future, that means they’re another weapon that the Empire knows how to use better than us.”

“Yes. We have to consider every possibility.”

“Exactly,” Draven said. Cassian nodded and started to turn away, but Draven’s grave voice stopped him. “Andor, kill them after your interrogation.”

Still with his back to the General, Cassian closed his eyes.

 _They’re my daughters._ Cassian could hear Draven’s reasoning in the silence: “Just in case they’re Imperial spies.” _They’re my daughters._ He had known what Draven was going to ask, but he still hoped… _They’re my daughters._

“Yes, sir.”

_They aren’t my daughters. They can’t be._

Cassian returned to the ship and Jyn was waiting for him outside the ship. She was frowning and crossing her arms. The two girls waited next to Jyn but she wasn’t looking their way as if she was avoiding looking at their eyes.

“What did he say?” Jyn asked.

“Not now.” Cassian answered. He felt her tense beside him but she nodded. “Not in front of them.” Cassian said. He didn’t care if the two girls took offense. They couldn’t be what they said they were.

It had been too long since the last time Cassian had played with the idea of a peaceful future – He had been an innocent child back then and soon his hope for his own happiness turned into hope for the galaxy.

Cassian didn’t stop in front of the ship, avoiding the stares of the two girls. They said their names were Lyra and Hope – Cassian reminded himself. They’re beautiful names - A traitorous voice inside his head said.

Cassian entered the cockpit, walking by K-2 who was busy doing some modifications to one of the control panels. He could hear the light steps of Lyra and Hope behind him. The droid turned around to look at the two girls:

“Who are they?”

The little girl run to K-2 and for a moment, Cassian feared she was going to hug him too. He didn’t know how K-2 would react to such an attack but he could imagine it would end in tears and scratched knees.

Fortunately, the girl stopped in front of the droid and offered him her hand to shake on it. K-2 looked at her but ignored her stretched arm. “I’m Hope.” The girl said. “You don’t know me, yet, but you will… You taught me to calculate percentages when I was five years old.”

“Five years old humans don’t possess a fully developed brain to learn percentages. They’re very slow during their first years of growth – that’s why I hate children.”

“I’m intellectually gifted,” Hope answered. She smiled proudly before saying. “I am Galen Erso’s granddaughter, after all.” She pointed at Jyn. “Mom always said that I inherited his brilliant mind.”

Cassian could see Jyn crossing her arms, in a defensive posture.

K-2 turned around to look at Jyn. “Are these girls your daughters?”

“Apparently,” Jyn said, shrugging.

K-2 studied Lyra’s semblance with unwavering attention. “Her height indicates that she can’t be younger than 11 years.” K-2 stopped to calculate. “That would mean you had her when you were 14 years old. Jyn Erso was a sexually precocious girl. This new information doesn’t surprise me in the least.”

Jyn rolled her eyes. “You should ask who is the father.” Jyn said, gesturing to Cassian with her head.

“Cassian was 18 years old during the conception. Copulating with a minor is a crime in 135 planets. Would you want me to start enumerating them?” K-2 asked Cassian with a reprimanding tone.

“K-2, I didn’t even know Jyn eleven years ago. You know that.”

The droid nodded and he turned to Lyra. “A fact that makes your conception impossible. I’m sorry to inform you that you don’t exist – or you lied, which is 98% more probable, considering you seem to be in possession of body and mind.”

Cassian smiled, amused.

“We came from the future.” Hope informed him. “A fact that makes your calculated probability drop to a 41%.”

K-2 shook his head, stubbornly. “Oh, you’re one of _them_. No, my programming doesn’t sustain beliefs of gods, mythological creatures or time travel. I can only arrive to the conclusion that you – and others of your kind – are mere liars and manipulators.”

He nodded at himself, satisfied with his own conclusions. He turned to Cassian and asked. “When are we leaving?”

“Right now.” Cassian gestured with his hand. “K-2, take us home.”

“Do you want me to pilot the ship during takeoff?”

“Yes. I need to speak with Jyn.”

K-2 didn’t answer immediately. He looked at Hope and Lyra, who were sitting and fastening their belts, and then at Jyn and Cassian.

“Yes, I imagine a very uncomfortable conversation is in order.”

Cassian shook his head. It was surprising how K-2 never stopped to amuse him and annoy him at the same time. He looked at Jyn, who was still crossing her arms, and Cassian had the impression that something was bothering her; something besides the two strange girls who were proclaiming to be their offspring. The only thought made him uncomfortable – but not upset or disappointed. He decided to set those thoughts aside once again.  _It couldn’t be. They just couldn’t be what they said they were._

Jyn nodded at Cassian as she exited the cockpit and headed to the cargo. Cassian followed her. Once they were far from the control panel, far from the girls’ ears, Jyn crossed her arms and whispered:

“They’re lying.”

Cassian agreed but he still felt a pang of disappointment when he heard her say it. They both knew _it couldn’t be true_ but Cassian assumed that he was the only one that _wanted_ to believe in such a future.

“If they were sent by the Empire… it wouldn’t be surprising that they chose to target us. They know our names since Scarif.”

Cassian knew. He was only still doing Intelligence missions because the Empire knew his name but not his face.

“And their names? Lyra and Hope? So convenient! They knew my mother. They knew she died when they took my father. And Hope? That’s basically the Rebellion’s war cry.”

Cassian nodded. She was right but he couldn't stop thinking: _They’re pretty names._

“The little girl hugged you. She wants you to feel for her, to feel the need to protect her. If you really think she’s your daughter, you will lower your defences and then…”

“I don’t believe she’s my daughter. I won’t fall for their lies, okay? I agree with you. We don’t know where these _apparitions_ come from. The confusion and fear that their presence is provoking is creating a perfect atmosphere for espionage.” Cassian said. “So yes, there’s a big chance they’re Imperial spies. Some rebellion cells use children as soldiers. I’m sure The Empire isn’t above it either.”

“If you agree with me. Why are we taking them to our _secret_ base?”

Cassian sighed. He didn’t want to tell her about Draven’s orders – because he knew what her reaction would be. Cassian was already thinking about other alternatives. He knew what killing children would do to him – and his worthy cause didn’t deserve such a sacrifice. However, he hadn’t decided what to do with them, so it was better not to mention anything to Jyn _yet._ He would, eventually, because he knew Jyn hated deception.

“Look around. This ship only has a window, for the pilot. This ship was made to transport prisoners.” Cassian gestured to the thick metal walls. “It doesn’t matter if they’re in the base, as long as they don’t know the planet and the exact coordinates.”

Jyn sighed and nodded to herself.

“I will interrogate them once we get to Yavin.” Cassian said as he turned around to go back to the cockpit.

Even with his back to her, he could feel how she tensed. “They’re still children.” She said in a weak voice.

Cassian turned around with a fast movement, he wanted her to see his face and the sincerity in it. “I’m not going to torture them!” She nodded but she didn’t seem completely appeased. “I will only ask them some questions. Just words without intimidation or psychological plays. A conversation.” He tried not to think about Draven’s order. That was a problem for another moment, one he would solve once that moment came.

Jyn nodded again and this time, her eyes lost her uncertainty. Cassian hoped she had read the honesty in his eyes. Her lips twitched without actually turning into a smile and Cassian, for a reason he couldn’t still completely understand, felt a little bit weightless.

Cassian returned to the cockpit, Jyn following him closely – so close that he could feel in his back the air that her movements were creating. He felt content that the current and strange circumstances hadn’t created distance between them. Once he found the will to stop focusing on her closeness, Cassian realized that he hadn’t felt the vibrations that would indicate the ship had taken off.

He entered the cockpit with a frown. “Why aren’t we flying, K-2?” Cassian asked with impatience.

“I wanted to let you know first that this ship isn’t prepared to transport children. This old junk has some loose pieces that…“

“Just go, K-2.” It wasn’t Cassian who spoke. Lyra hadn’t even looked at K-2 when she said these words. She was looking at her hands and her tone was exactly the same Cassian used with K-2. The only difference, Cassian thought, was that Lyra’s English accent was spotless.

The droid shut up – taken aback by the interruption. K-2 ignored Lyra and looked at Cassian with a frown. “If you ever have a daughter, I hope she learns better manners.” K-2 shook his head, as a human would. “But if the mother really turns out to be Jyn Erso, then I guess I shouldn’t be surprised if your offspring turns out to have a bad temperament.”

Jyn shook her head, more amused than angry. “I feel like someone is having _too much fun_ with this.” She said, before sitting behind the seat Cassian always occupied.

Cassian knew she meant K-2 but a part of him told him that he was enjoying the prospect of a future in common with Jyn Erso a little too much, too.

+++

The travel back to the base was long and silent. Lyra noticed that the team avoided mentioning where they were going. Lyra understood they felt safer keeping their secrets to themselves so she didn’t confess that she knew the rebel alliance headquarters was in Yavin IV. Maybe she would tell them later, once they were better predisposed to really listen.

After only one hour, Hope fell asleep on her seat, with the locks of her dark hair covering part of her face.

Lyra didn’t know how she felt: Disoriented, without a doubt, but not really scared. Confused, and even skeptic – as if she was still waiting to wake up from a dream or a nightmare. She felt safe because her parents had always made her felt invincible. For that reason, she made the effort of reminding herself that these two rebels weren’t the parents she had known for her whole life. They weren’t her parents, not yet. They were younger, but their eyes looked older somehow and – the worst part of all – they looked at Lyra with a distrust that made her heart jump painfully inside her chest.

Lyra looked forward and wasn’t surprised to find her mother’s eyes on her, studying every micro-expression. What do you see, Mom? She wanted to ask, but her voice was stuck in her throat.

Lyra avoided her mother’s stare and focused her attention on her father’s nape. His hair was longer now and the ends touched the back of his neck. Her mother sat just behind her father and she had placed her little finger against the beginning of his neck. Lyra couldn’t help thinking that her mother was counting every one of his breaths – as if she was scared he would suddenly stop breathing.

Lyra felt content to see that her parents were already together. It wasn’t something that surprised her because she was going to be born in only four months.

She hasn’t been born yet - Lyra thought - What odd life she leads.

They arrived at Yavin when the night was already covering the planet. The silence seemed to surround everything and Lyra found it perturbing. Nevertheless, she was happy to be able to unfasten her belt and move her legs. She looked at Hope who was still sleeping and then, at her father, who was turning off the ship’s engine.

“Dad.” She called, but her father didn’t look her way. Lyra sighed and tried again. “Cassian.” She said. The name sounded distant and unfamiliar in her tongue. Her father had never been Cassian for her, just _dad._ This time, he looked at her with one raised brow. “Hope fell asleep.”

“Well, wake her up.”

“You know that’s not a good idea.” Lyra said but immediately remembered that he actually didn’t know it. “She gets really grumpy if someone wakes her up.”

Cassian didn’t move from his spot. “Okay. What do you want me to do, then? Allow her to sleep here the whole night? I don’t think it’s the most comfortable place.”

“No. You have to carry her.” Cassian looked at her as if that was the craziest idea he has ever heard in his life. He looked even scared, which was funny, considering he was supposed to be a cold spy. “No one else will do. She only wants you to carry her… or mom, but Hope already weights too much for her.”

Jyn was looking at Cassian attentively, while she tried to contain an amused smile.

“What is the matter?” K-2 asked. “I’ve seen you carry weapons that were heavier than her.”

Cassian sighed and shook his head. He was defeated, so he walked to where Hope was still sleeping. He unfastened her belt and then hesitated. He didn’t know where to put his hands. Finally, with some awkward but firm movements, he took her in her arms. Hope’s head rested against his shoulder.

Cassian started to move and he glared at Jyn. “Don’t laugh.”

“I’m not moving my lips!” Jyn protested.

“You’re laughing inside,” Cassian said, while he descended the ship. K-2 and Lyra followed them.

The dock was completely empty – with one exception: Uncle Bodhi. He was hovering over one of the smallest ships, doing some maintenance work. He stood up as soon as he saw them stepping out of the ship, and walked towards them.

“I thought you had to stay in Solanda for six months.” Bodhi asked them.

“Draven called us for another more urgent mission.” Jyn answered.

Lyra immediately recognized the name of the hot desert planet. She had never been there and her parents had always told her that there wasn’t anything special to see in the planet but they always talked about Solanda with big smiles.

“You always talked fondly about Solanda.” Lyra addressed her mother.

Jyn shook her head. She seemed annoyed every time Lyra talked directly to her or made any reference of the future. “There’s nothing to do there. There's just heat and Isolation.”

Lyra shrugged but was surprised when she noticed her mother didn’t smile with the mention of Solanda. She looked every embarrassed.

Bodhi looked at Cassian, who was still holding Hope, with a bewildered expression. “Did you adopt a girl in Solanda?” He asked in jest.

Cassian sighed. “Solanda is an uninhabited planet.”

“And we’re his _biological_ daughters,” Lyra said, for her own amusement more than for any need of informing Bodhi.

Bodhi blinked in confusion. “His daughters?” He pointed at Cassian, making sure they were talking about the same Captain. “I didn’t know you had daughters.”

“That’s still to be proven.” Cassian said.

He walked towards the entrance of the headquarters, as if he wanted to run away from that conversation, but everyone followed him.

Lyra looked around, admiring the place where her parents had met for the first time. They had told her stories about Yavin and Hoth and the other planets where The Rebellion had stayed. However, her imagination hadn’t done it justice.

“Are there doubts about the paternity then?” Bodhi asked, behind Cassian. “Did the mother leave them with you and said they were yours?”

K-2 made a metallic sound before offering his opinion. “Although I’m the first to say that Jyn Erso’s behavior is usually unexpected. I don’t think she would do something so vile as abandoning her own daughters, especially considering her own childhood and fears. That insult was completely uncalled for.” He nodded to Jyn, as if he had saved her from a great calumny. Jyn nodded back, emulating his seriousness but adding a small amused smile.

Bodhi stammered. “Jyn? How can you be their mother? When did you give birth?” He touched his temple as if he was afraid the memory of Jyn and Cassian’s children had been erased by Bor Gullet. Lyra recognized the gesture immediately. Thirteen years later, the tentacles of the beast would still haunt Bodhi. Although, some medical advances helped him to recover some lost pieces of his memory.

“Well, that question requires an easy calculation,” K-2 said. He turned to look at Lyra. “When were you born?” Lyra said the exact date of her birth and K-2 nodded. “Was it an ordinary pregnancy? 9 full months?” Lyra nodded. “Well, in that case, it seems like Jyn will give birth in 13 months.”

Jyn shook her head but didn’t say anything. Bodhi’s confusion grew and Lyra felt tempted to tell him the small detail he was missing. However, before she could talk, K-2 turned to look at Jyn and added:

“Does that information thrill you? Are you looking forward being a mother? I have to say childbirth looks horribly painful. A lot worse than a gunshot wound.”

“Guys, what you’re saying doesn’t make any sense.” Bodhi complained.

“Yes.” K-2 agreed with some exasperation. “I have already said the probability of these two girls coming from the future is almost non-existent. But everyone seems to get angry at me when I repeat my statistics analysis – so I decided to refrain from it.”

Bodhi stopped in his tracks. He looked at Lyra with wide eyes. “Are you one of them? An apparition? A visitant from the future?”

“Apparition is a horrible definition but, yes, that’s correct.” Lyra answered. She sighed – She would rather be at home, with her parents, those who actually had some recollection of who she was. Those parents who actually loved her.

How long were they going to be stuck in the past? Only thinking about it made her tremble. She had heard about some people who was away only for some hours, others during days and others – the most unfortunate – even years. It had been three hours since they landed into the past and Lyra hoped it wouldn’t be much longer.

“Where are we going to sleep?” Lyra asked.

“You will sleep in my bedroom. I will sleep in the maintenance room. There’s a small couch there.” Cassian said.

“Does that mean we will sleep with mom?” Lyra asked. Jyn glared at her and Lyra corrected. “I mean with Jyn.”

“No. Of course not. The rooms are individual here. They only have a bed.”

“Why aren’t you sleeping in the same bed? Are you angry at each other?”

Neither of them honored her question with an answer and in that second, Lyra understood. She understood that Cassian and Jyn weren’t together yet and that was the reason why the news of having daughters in the future caused them so much embarrassment. They were in denial. They were trying to hide their feelings and Lyra and Hope were a blatant proof of their existence.

But it didn’t make sense. She was supposed to be conceived in four months. Did that mean she had been an accident? She always assumed she had been wanted but now that thought seemed so silly and illogical. After all, her parents had married when she was one year old.

Solanda – Lyra thought. Suddenly, Bodhi’s words danced in her mind: _You had to stay in Solanda for six months_. Solanda. The hot uninhabited desert planet where her parents were supposed to be alone for six months. She was conceived in Solanda. After some months where they only had themselves for company, the isolation probably forced them to face their feelings.

But that wasn’t happening anymore. Cassian and Jyn had returned from their mission before the allotted time and that meant… she wasn’t going to be born. _If her parents don’t have sex in four months, she won’t exist_. She knew that reproduction was a very specific thing – a specific sperm in a specific ovary.

She had changed the circumstances and now she wasn’t sure if she was going to be herself. Will her soul, her thoughts, her face be the same if she is conceived two days later? Will she be the same person if her parents don’t get together until months later. No, because Lyra and Hope were very different people and maybe this new past and this new future would bring different children.

Maybe their parents won’t ever get together. Maybe without a planet like Solanda to throw them together, they will just keep living in denial.

These endless _maybes_ were the scariest thing she had ever encountered.

+++

When Chirrut Imwe woke up that morning, he was going to meet someone important. Between the first hours of the morning and the breakfast break, the force gave him some tidbits about their identity. They were girls. They were friends. They were from far away. They were wished but not loved yet. They will be deeply loved in the future.

This sensation caused him more curiosity than confusion and when Baze told him about the new _apparitions_ that were being interrogated by Cassian, Chirrut was certain they were the friends he needed to meet. Sadly, he had to wait until the interrogation was over.

+++

Draven hadn’t allowed Cassian to lead the interrogation. He had appointed K-2 for the task to keep it as impersonal as possible. However, Cassian had convinced him to allow Cassian and Jyn to be present in the interrogation – after all, most of the questions would be about them and they would need to be there to corroborate them.

Before entering the room, Cassian set Jyn aside and whispered to her:

“I’m sorry.”

“Why?” As she said these words, she realized he was talking about the awkwardness the two girls were creating for them. Jyn shrugged. “It’s not your fault.”

 _Not yet, at least. If they were saying the truth, then in the future, their existence would be part his fault._ She dismissed that thought _,_ afraid that he could read it in her semblance.

“They’re lying. Aren’t they?” Jyn asked in a tone that sounded too pleading for her taste.

Cassian sighed. “Yes. They’re lying.” Cassian patted her shoulder. “We will catch them in a lie.” It sounded like a promise and Jyn was tempted to answer: _don’t, please._

They both entered the interrogation room and stood on their feet, just behind K-2. The two girls were sitting at the other side of the table. Hope looked more bored than afraid but Lyra seemed tenser than yesterday.

Jyn hadn’t decided yet if she wanted to be there.

K-2 started the interrogation with simple questions. “State your name, your age and the name of your parents.”

“Lyra Andor. 12 years old. Daughter of Cassian and Jyn Andor.”

 _Jyn Andor._ They get married - Jyn thought. Jyn Andor. She couldn’t stop thinking: Who was that woman? Was she a different Jyn? A happier one? One who had defeated her fears and shortcomings? _Who was Jyn Andor?_

“Hope Andor. 8 years old. Daughter of Cassian and Jyn Andor.”

“Where do you live?”

“Lah’mu.” Lyra answered. She looked up at Jyn. “You wanted to live close to grandma’s tomb and you both love to live close to the beach. Sometimes we go to sit on the shore, during the sunset. It’s very pretty.”

Jyn swallowed. She didn’t want to think in the idyllic picture Lyra was painting for her. _It was trap_ \- her mind screamed. _It was a trap._

“What is my second name?” Cassian asked. “If you’re my daughters, that must be an easy question.”

“Jeron.” Hope answers. “You hate your second name.”

Cassian nodded, surprising Jyn, who didn’t even know he had a second name. Jyn tried to read his face but he always hid behind his spy mask during interrogations.

“Where did we marry?” Jyn asked, her voice suddenly weak.

“In the red square in Naboo.” Lyra answered. Then, she looked at Cassian and said “You liked it because grandpa always said the architect was one of your ancestors. You never believed him but you still liked the idea.”

“The architect’s first language was Spaniz – same as mine, but there’s still a lot of people who speak Spaniz. That didn’t prove anything.”

Lyra smiles. “Yes. That’s what you always say.”

Cassian ignored that line and asked. “What’s the name of my father?”

“Grandpa’s name was Brais Andor.” Hope answered.

They were right. Jyn couldn’t understand how they knew that information. Cassian never talked about his childhood and Jyn had always appreciated every small detail about his past because she knew he was offering her his trust with every word. She knew his father’s name was Brais Andor but she couldn’t understand how The Empire knew that information.

They couldn’t be really their daughters. _They couldn’t._

“Talk about The Empire. Do they still rule the galaxy in the future, your present?”

“No. The Rebellion won years ago. We live in peace.”

Cassian didn’t smile but Jyn could see his eyes were especially bright: It was hope. Hope for the Rebellion.

Jyn cleared her throat before asking. “What do we do in the future? If the war is over, what’s our new profession?”

Lyra answered immediately, without hesitation. “You buy old electrical appliances and droids, you fix them, reprogram them, make them look new and nice and sell them again.” Lyra shook her head. “It’s not a fancy job but you both like it. The Rebellion offered you both positions in the new parliament but you rejected it. You wanted a quiet life.”

Hope looked at K-2. “You help them with the most difficult droids to reprogram.”

“I live with you?” K-2 exclaimed, surprised.

“Of course! You’re like our uncle.”

K-2 looked at Cassian and Jyn, as if he wanted to say thank you with his stare. Jyn swallowed. It seemed like now even K-2 wanted to believe the two girls. They were good. They would be good spies - if they weren't already.

“But we don’t know if it will happen _now_.” Lyra said in a sad tone.

“What do you mean?” Cassian asked, adopting a defensive posture.

“We are here and we shouldn’t be here. We don’t belong to this time and our presence is changing everything… so we don’t know anymore what will happen with our lives.”

Hope turned to her sister. “What do you mean, Lyra?” She asked, scared and confused.

Lyra shook her head and didn’t answer.

Jyn took a deep breath and felt that it was too much. She had to get out of there. She turned around suddenly. She brushed her fingers against Cassian’s arm, signaling him that she was fine and he didn’t need to follow her. She just needed air. She felt as if there wasn’t enough oxygen in the small interrogation room.

Once she was outside, she realized something: She liked that future… and now she didn’t even have the certainty that it could happen.

“They’re your daughters. Aren’t they?” A voice at her left said. When Jyn turned around to look at Chirrut’s face, he was smiling, calmly.

Jyn didn’t answer immediately but when she did, it came out in a sigh. “Yes.” She believed them because she wanted to believe - and she couldn't lie to herself any longer.

“Do they look like you?”

“The younger one looks like Cassian.” Jyn said. “But I think the oldest one has my eyes. My father’s eyes.”

“I never expected to meet them so soon.” Chirrut said.

“So you believe them?”

“I can feel they’re not from here. I can feel they’re friends. Their hearts beat in the same compass than Cassian's and yours'.”

+++

Another day went by. Another day stuck in a present that didn’t belong to them. Hope lay on her father’s bed – or Cassian’s bed, she reminded herself, because this serious man wasn’t the father she remembered.

No. Cassian Andor had never treated them with so much indifference. Jyn Andor had never looked at them with so much distrust. Her parents had never avoided looking at her. _It hurt._

And now Lyra lay on the bed next to her, as silent as she had never been before. Hope knew she was keeping secrets from her. She knew her sister well.

She let her sister sleep and get some rest. She decided to ask her in the morning. Meanwhile, she wished they could just vanish to where they had come from.

She waited long seconds – almost expecting it to happen right now, but she fell asleep and when she woke up the next morning, she was still in Yavin IV, far away from her real home.

Lyra got out of bed, still silent.

“Lyra, what’s wrong?” Hope asked.

Lyra looked at her for several seconds, probably deciding if she could share her fears with her sisters. Finally, she sighed.

“I don’t think I’m going to be born.”

Hope blinked, not really understanding, so Lyra explained. “I was an accident, Hope. Mom and dad didn’t want to have me… it just happened.”

“Oh, Lyra. You know they love you.” Hope said.

“I know.” Lyra said, firm. “But accidents sometimes happen and sometimes… sometimes they don’t.” She shook her head. “They got together in Solanda but now, they’re not in Solanda because of us… we’re changing our history.”

“But they love each other… they will get together, eventually.”

“Yes, but I don’t know if it will be too late for me.” She combed her hair with her fingers. “Maybe you will have a different sister. Maybe, a brother.”

“I don’t want another sister, or a brother.”

Lyra smiled at her, sweetly, but she didn’t say anything. There was nothing they could say. The fear of death was terrifying, but the fear or not even existing… that was unbearable.

Hope had never been a spoiled child. She was too mature for her age so when she asked for something, it was because she needed it, and her parents always gave it to her without questions or second thoughts. For that reason, she was now certain that if she asked politely, nobody would refuse her anything. Their problem had an easy solution and everything would be _fine_.

Hope was too mature for her age. She was intellectually gifted but sometimes, she was just a child.

She run to Jyn’s bedroom but she found it already empty. She run directly to the canteen, where the rebels ate breakfast, and Lyra followed her. She asked her to stop and explain what she planned to do but Hope was in a mission and she wasn't going to surrender before trying.

Finally, she saw her mother, eating with her father and the rest of the Rogue One team. The canteen was full with rebels, pilots, and spies but Hope didn’t really care about the strangers. She stopped at the door and took a deep breath, getting ready for what she was going to do.

+++

Jyn sit close to Cassian, their shoulders bumping together. It didn’t calm her nerves and Jyn knew exactly why. Around them, all the rebels talked animatedly and ate their breakfast but she wasn’t really hungry.

“What happens now?” Jyn asked Cassian. “What happens to the girls?”

_What happens to our daughters?_

“They answered everything right.” Cassian said. “But that doesn’t mean… that only means that they were trained well. Maybe they do believe they’re our daughters, if the Empire forced them through a psychological conditioning like they do with stormtroopers.”

He still didn't believe, Jyn realized, and she couldn't help but feel disappointment.

“In any way, they don’t seem to have any vital information about the war. Apparently, we didn’t want to burn them with what we had to do during the war.” Cassian shook his head, annoyed or amused, Jyn wasn’t sure.

“Which means The Rebellion doesn’t need them.” Jyn said, and she immediately knew what that meant.

Cassian looked at her in silence for several seconds and Jyn knew that his next words would be important. “Draven wants me to kill them.”

Jyn knew it, she suspected it, but hearing it still hurt. She looked at him and she didn’t know what her eyes were implying because Cassian rushed to add:

“I’m not going to do it.” Cassian said. “I’ve done too much for the Rebellion, I won’t kill kids too.”

 _They’re our kids_ , Jyn wanted to say, but she wasn’t ready for it. Those words would be a love confession and she wasn’t ready for love confessions.

“What are you going to do, then?” Jyn asked.

“I have a friend who takes care of orphans. She cares for them, she gives them a home and a better life.”

 _They’re not orphans_ , Jyn wanted to say, but she wasn’t ready.

Again, her eyes seemed to be saying what her lips couldn’t say. Cassian sighed and said: “That’s the best thing we can do for them. They can’t stay here. If they stay here, they will become child soldiers. Do you want that?”

“Of course not. It still doesn’t feel right.” Jyn answered. She could hear the words Cassian hadn’t say: _Child soldiers like us._ She wouldn’t want that future for anyone.

“I know.” Cassian said in a sigh.

Suddenly, Chirrut turned around, slightly, as if he could sense a new presence – He already knew what was going to happen. Hope run to Jyn, breathless, while Lyra took some tentative steps after her, confused and curious at the same time.

Jyn felt the small hand patting her shoulder before she heard her voice behind her. “Can I ask you for a favor?” Jyn left her toast on her plate and turned around. She looked at the girl with a frown, but she nodded. Hope sighed in relief and then, she looked at Cassian “And to you?”

“What is it?” Cassian asked, his voice hesitant.

Hope sighed, feeling relieved once again. “I don’t want my sister to die. _I want her to exist_.” Hope said, desperate.

Inside Jyn, the worry trumped the distrust and she grabbed one of Hope’s hands. “What’s wrong?” She asked.

Hope put her other hand on Cassian, forcing him to take her hand too. He did, but he tensed, uncomfortable. Hope looked at Jyn and Cassian with her eyes full of hope. Her named had always served her right.

“Please, please, please… Can you promise me you will have sex in four months? During May. Yes, it has to be in May.”

In a second, the noises of the room had evaporated and her clear voice rang around the room.

Cassian and Jyn turned red. This time, not even Cassian could hide his discomfort. The silence created a tense atmosphere around them and everyone – Bodhi, Baze, Chirrut and Lyra – looked at Cassian and Jyn with anticipation.

Hope kept talking in a nervous rant. “I don’t know how that works. I guess… just in case, Can you do it every day during May? Yes, I think that would be enough.”

Jyn took her hand away, as if it burned her. She didn’t tear her eyes off Hope and this time, she couldn’t look at Cassian. He coughed, trying to clear his throat, but he couldn’t form the words. Both their faces were red and they couldn’t believe this was really happening.

“I mean… you’ve already done it at least _twice_.” Hope looked at her sister as if waiting for confirmation but Lyra was frozen in place, as astonished as the others. “So I don’t think you will mind. Right?”

“We have never done _that!_ Not twice, not once, never!” Jyn turned around, avoiding everyone’s stare – she felt so embarrassed. “And aren’t you too young to know about…” she stammered. “…to know about sex!”

Hope narrowed her eyes, “I’m intellectually gifted!”

Cassian stood up, his shoulders were tense and he showed an imposing and even scary figure. He looked at the two girls “I think it’s time we have a conversation. Come with me.” Cassian said.

The steel in his words even surprised Jyn. For a moment, she remained frozen in her spot, seeing the girls following Cassian out of the canteen.

“Aren’t you going to follow them?” Baze asked, from the other side of the table.

Jyn nodded, still startled. In that precise second, K-2 came into the room but he stopped under the doorframe, surprised by the deep silence.

“Did I miss something?” K-2 asked, confused. Bodhi laughed under his hand and it was this sound that pushes Jyn to leave the canteen and follow Cassian.

She knew where he was taking them and she couldn’t let the two girls leave without a goodbye.

+++

Cassian walked with determination. The little girl holding his hand and the other one, Lyra, he remembered, walking closely behind.

When they reached the dock, he heard a familiar voice. “Where are you taking them?”

Cassian didn’t turn to answer her. “You know where.”

Hope pulled his hand but didn’t disentangle her fingers from his. “Dad! Stop, dad!”

He stopped in his tracks. _That word. That word. Dad._ It tugged at his heart strings, rendering him senseless for a second. He had been just a child the last time he had imagined that word forming part of his future: Children, a wife, maybe a pet-droid. Now, he knew he probably wouldn’t live long enough to become a father.

Still, he wished they were saying the truth. But no - he was too thick-skinned to allow himself those delusions. The girls in front of him weren’t his daughters. They were just two orphans the Empire had used to get to them. They were doing a great job, they could’ve been great spies, but he was offering them a better future. Cassian knew under his friend’s care, they would grow up to become _normal_ , and that was a privilege nowadays.

He looked at the little girl, hoping his sad eyes would soften his firm words: “I’m not your father.” Both girls sighed, but they didn’t insist. “You will be happy and safe where I’m taking you.”

“We don’t want to go.” Lyra said, stubbornly. Cassian turned around to look at her. He could also see Jyn behind Lyra and for a moment, he thought he saw something similar in the way they hold themselves.

“What do you want to do, then? Stay here?” Cassian asked. He was addressing Lyra but it was Hope who answered:

“No. We want to go back with our parents.”

There it was: _The truth_. He didn’t feel triumphant, though. Quite the opposite. He would have liked to live with the hope that his life was exactly as they had described. He noticed how Jyn also tensed behind Lyra.

“So we’re not really your parents. You lied.” Cassian said.

Hope frowned. “You’re not our parents, _yet_.” Hope dropped Cassian’s hand and stepped back. She looked really angry. “¡Nuestros padres nunca nos abandonarían!*”

A shiver shook Cassian’s body. It had been long since he had heard his native language. She spoke with a perfect accent. Her voice sounded inside his mind and the meaning of the prhase devastated him: "Our parents would never leave us!"

“You speak Spaniz?” He asked, bewildered.

Hope nodded. “Por supuesto.” She nodded again. “You taught us. You always said it was an important part of yourself.”

Lyra took some steps forward. “Hope always speaks Spaniz when she’s angry.” She smiled to herself. “Or when she wants to get something out of you, you can never say no to her when she asks for it in Spaniz.”

For the first time, Cassian felt the hope he had tried to contain. What if it was true? What if they were their daughters? He looked at Jyn. They held each other’s stare for several seconds.

Cassian blinked and he looked at Hope and Lyra. “No os voy a abandonar. Nunca.” He repeated the line in his mind: _I will never leave you. Never._

Hope run back to him and hugged him strongly. This time, Cassian hugged her back. Lyra walked to them, hesitantly at first, but then she joined the hug with a small smile.

Jyn looked at them, she was in shock.

“They’re saying the truth.” Cassian said. “There are too many coincidences.”

Jyn smiled, openly. She took some steps forward and hugged her daughters, resting her chin on Lyra’s head. They stayed in that position for several seconds and suddenly, as unexpectedly as they had come, their daughters vanished.

It felt as if they had turned into air between them. Jyn took a deep breath, suddenly scared.

“Where are they?”

Cassian held her against his chest. “They’re fine. They’re back to their time. I’m sure.”

Jyn breathed his smell in as she kissed one side of his neck.

“Would you want that future?” Cassian asked, finding his courage. “Would you want that future _with me_?”

Jyn didn’t answer him with words. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his lips.

+++

When Luke Skywalker asked Yoda the reasons of the apparitions, he said that the force wanted to teach a lesson. The lesson, however, wasn’t for them but for those visitants from the future who had forgotten what meant to live under the thumb of a powerful dictator.

What Yoda didn’t tell Luke Skywalker was that someone, in that close future, was following the steps of Darth Vader.

+++

In a galaxy far far away _in_ time, Jyn and Cassian Andor sold a fridge so big that it could contain a BB-8 inside. After a day of hard work, they returned home, to their two daughters: Lyra and Hope Andor.

 

**FIN**

**Author's Note:**

> So what did you think?
> 
> Some notes:
> 
> \- Solanda: It's a planet I made up, of course. I don't know much about Star Wars. I'm not a fan of the trilogy but Rogue One hit me in all the right places and now I'm obsessed.
> 
> \- Spaniz: The Space Spanish in my headcanon. (Again, something I made up - oops)
> 
> \- Yes, this fanfic would've been smut if Lyra and Hope wouldn't have magically appeared in Kafrene. Solanda is a very "dangerous" planet - but very very exciting. Ask Jyn!
> 
> \- My first language is Spanish so I'm sorry about typos or grammatical errors. If someone wants to point out any of them, I will happily edit them. Thank you in advance!
> 
> ¡¡¡GRACIAS POR LEER!!!


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